I Cant Get Enough Of Sugar And Sin! I Just Binged All The Parts You Have Up On Here And Wattpad!! It

I can’t get enough of Sugar and Sin! I just binged all the parts you have up on here and Wattpad!! It is absolutely PHENOMENAL!!! Can I please be tagged in this series?!

This is the sweetest thing ever omgg!! I literally just squealed a little reading this! Thank you so much for showing such support and for sure that can be done. Thank you again ❤️ ❤️

just went through the parts of sugar and sin on here, and i am absolutely in love!! it's such a unique idea, and i really look forward to the upcoming chapters! 💗

p.s.: please add me to your taglist if possible!

Omgg that's so cool coming from you!! (I eat up literally anything you write 🫣) and of course that can be done! Thank you for reading!!

SUGAR AND SIN | JK

🧁✧ ˚. TITLE: Sugar and Sin.

🧁✧ ˚. PAIRING: Mafia boss! Jungkook x female oc

🧁✧ ˚. BLURB: Maybe the gun wielding stranger with a penchant for dramatic entrances can be her chance of survival other than her worst nightmare.

🧁✧ ˚. GENRE: Mafia au, grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, slow burn, dark romance, crime/thriller.

🧁✧ ˚. WARNINGS: This chapter contains intense scenes with threatening behavior, discussions of violence and murder, and emotional distress.

🧁✧ ˚. TAGS: oc is SILENCED, jk is a jerk and likes to break in

🧁✧ ˚. A/N: ty ty ty for the amazing support you guys have been showing this!! It means more to me than you know. Also, I kinda don't wanna post the new chapter on wattpad until I have posted all the already published ones here so it can be in sync. Let me know what you guys think about that?

🧁✧ ˚. TAG LIST: @scuzmunkie (let me know if you wanna be added in the tag list)

CHAPTER 3: AURORA

He was here.

In her goddamn living room, sitting on her couch like he owned the place.

The realization hit her slowly, like the creeping cold of winter sneaking under the door. She hadn’t heard him come in. She hadn’t seen him approach. But there he was, every inch of him radiating danger.

He was here to fulfill the promise of something dangerous.

He was here for her.

She didn't need to look through her memories of last night to recognize him. The inky voids that were placed where eyes normally are were proof enough, and so was the horrifying calmness he carried with himself surrounding the small space of her apartment.

Her lips parted, her breath shortened and her unblinking eyes went all over him, his gloved hands that were skilled for taking lives-she was sure of it- resting flatly on his broad, muscled thigh clothed with the black of his pants, his shirt of a softer fabric soft yet unyielding, strained against the hard planes of his chest. The tailored suit jacket stretched over biceps that seemed too solid, too real, for this moment to be anything but a nightmare and there was the face she hadn't properly grasped in the chaos of last night, now all sharp lines, cool beauty, and unsettling stillness.

Maybe the devil wasn't a short red man with thorns and tail at all. Maybe he wore tailored suits and silver piercings.

"Inhale. And sit down."

His voice- a calm authority, snapped her out of her jumbled thoughts. She wasn't sure how much she could take of being the sole recipient of her attention.

"What.. H-How did you-you get in?" She managed, not bothering to cringe at how small and powerless she sounded in her own home.

"Sit down." It was an order this time considering how his bored face hardened and his tone shifted. "We have lots to talk about." His gloved finger flexed briefly over the gun holstered at his side. 

That gesture alone was enough for her to obey before her mind could catch up and reluctantly sit across him while trying her best not to display how wobbly her knees were getting. Even as she sat across from him, every fiber of her being told her to flee. But something in his stillness kept her rooted to the spot.

"Answer me now. How-how did you get in?" she asked again, though as much as she tried to hide it, there was a tremor in her voice.

"I don't respond well to questions phrased like that. Try again."

Her frustration bubbled up, cutting through the haze of fear. "Are you kidding me-" his fingers flexed against the barrel of his gun again in response, making her narrow her eyes at him.

"You're here to kill me too, aren't you?Because I saw what you did. I saw you murder that innocent man." She was surprised at how collected she sounded.

He leaned back, slow and deliberate, his gaze heavy on her as he scoffed under his breath. "If I wanted to kill you, I could have done that there and then. Just another body for my men to dispose of." And there went that collected front of her down the drain. But his expression remained unchanged, bored almost, as if this entire exchange was nothing more than a chore to him.

"But I didn't. And if it helps, the innocent man was not as innocent as you naively assumed." His voice was colder, with a mocking tilt to it.

She bit the inside of her cheek, fighting the wave of unease rising inside her. "So? What are you, the law?"

"My word is. And he went against it." He said simply.

Her lips parted again in an act of disbelief. There was something so twisted about this man. And she had a feeling that didn't stop only at him being a murderer.

"T-That is not going to stop me from reporting you to the police and neither will you." She said with a determined look even though her actions were hesistant when she slowly and carefully rose up from her spot.

And he clearly saw right through it. "Need a drive there?" He leaned forward, his presence suddenly much heavier as he spoke out with an amused tilt of his head.

This was the face of a man who knew he won't be punished for his crime. This was the face of a man who knew that, that was all beneath him. Just who the hell was this man?

"What is wrong with you?" She conferred the answer was: Everything.

"Why are you doing this? Why did you do any-any of that?" There was a frustration in her voice now that caused him to rise up from the couch as well. And she could swear he was tenfold more intimidating now that he was displaying the giant of a height he had, almost causing her to flinch.

"I don't owe you an explanation for my actions while you do owe me something for meddling in my business." He replied, the shadows deepening on his face

"Meddling in your business? You're the one who broke into my bakery.." and now in my apartment. "And made it your place of crime."

"Your little bakery will be nothing but ashes on the ground if you don't stop talking back and resisting to my word." He eyes flashed with irration as he spoke out with a harshness, taking a step closer to her but still maintaining a distance he looked distasteful to cross.

While all she could do was stay frozen in her spot with her hands curling in ball of fists by her side as his eyes told her to even though the audacity of this man to threaten the place she made a living from raged her to no end.

"Now back to what's important." He said, releasing a quiet breath.

"That being your silence that you owe me. You'll not speak about anything you saw with anyone. And I'm just saving you from the embarrassment when I say that you drop the police bullshit."

She swallowed a hard lump down her throat, not liking how he stared at her, how his words spit out like venom. Of course, she felt a surge of anger at how he was ordering her around, but it was tempered by fear at last. "I-I can't just forget what I saw.."

He cocked an eyebrow at her words. "But you will. Or I'll have to resort to unpleasant ways to make you forget. Would you want that?"

She instantly shook her head at that. She couldn't digest how this man had her so pathetic at his non-existent mercy. It was a pill she had to swallow, of course, but that didn't mean she was gonna do it without an attempt to choke it out.

Her mind raced. The face of an familiar old man with a nasty grin flashed in front of her. Mr. Choi had been tightening the noose around her neck for months. The bills have been piling up, and if she didn't speak up now, maybe she would have to return back home. This could be her only chance. Yet the rational part of still considered the insanity of bargaining with a man who just threatened her life.

She swallowed hard. It's a terrible idea. A dangerous gamble.

But when has she ever listened to the annoying rational part of her head?

"I- I want something in return for my silence." She said with a newfound determination, her chin tipped up. "My bakery's landlord... Mr. Choi... he’s been extorting me for months. If you want my silence, I need your help." Even with the clarity in her demand, she couldn't help but feel like it was as if she was begging. The pulse racing with fear convinced her that she was begging.

Gods, what is wrong with me?

That seemed to twist something in him as he stepped closer with a sinister calmness. "You think you're in a position to make demands to me?" His voice was laced with a malicious intent, making her do everything in her power to not squirm in her spot as he towered above her.

Yet she stood her ground even if the fear threatened to overwhelm her. "It's only fair that I get something in return." She said with a surprisingly steady voice, trying her best to hide the desperation that was eager to be out.

Please, let this work. Please don’t let this end with my body laying in my own blood.

A muscle of his jaw ticked. "Being bold now, are we?" he said. "But let me make one thing clear: you're not in a position to make demands. You're in a position to be grateful, I'm not killing you right now."

He paused, his eyes glinting with intensity and some sort of interest. "However... I'll consider your request. Not because I owe you anything, but because it amuses me to do so. And maybe you'll prove useful enough to warrant a little... leeway."

He turned to leave, then looked back over his shoulder. "Until next time, baker girl."

And he was gone, leaving her heart thumping and her world shaky.

To be continued..

→ Previous chapter

Hello there!

I'm Addie and starting new on writing fanfiction on Tumblr. I first started publishing my work on wattpad and still am, but I guess wanna give this platform a try too since I myself rot here for an embarrassing amount of time. I like how passionate the people in their respective Fandoms are here, sometimes, maybe cheesy too, but who am I if not a rat?

Anyways, let me tell you more about the fandoms I'm in and the work I write about.

Fandoms I'm in: I am a huge swfitie and a mitski stan. I have been for quite a long time, and then bts came along the way when my friend introduced me to them. I do love all the boys the same, yet hobi has a tiny extra bit of my affection. I also like watching or reading about miserable gays.

What I write about: I write only bts ffs, and I don't plan to change that ever. As of right now, I'm currently working on a Jungkook centered story that will probably get a second part, with taehyung being the male lead. That just depends on the response I'll get.

As of right now, that's all I can think of that may concern my targeted audience.

And, yes, please reach out if any of our interests are same or if you think we can be friends? I love to make friends!

Until then 💕

SUGAR AND SIN | JK

🧁✧ ˚. TITLE: Sugar and Sin.

🧁✧ ˚. PAIRING: Mafia boss! Jungkook x female oc

🧁✧ ˚. BLURB: Drunk bug facts, cupcakes, and a stubborn promise to save the local animal shelter—Aurora’s got a full plate. Too bad her hangover isn’t as sweet as her cupcakes.

🧁✧ ˚. GENRE: Mafia au, grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, slow burn, dark romance, crime/thriller.

🧁✧ ˚. WARNINGS: alcohol consumption, mentions of stress/ anxiety.

🧁✧ ˚. TAGS: oc is a bug geek, new character for girlies who have a thing for shy, awkward nerds!! oc is a yapper

🧁✧ ˚. TAG LIST: @scuzmunkie @eshieslovemaze

🧁✧ ˚. A/N: sorry for the disappointment this filler chapter is girls 🫤

CHAPTER 7: AURORA

"And don’t even get me started on bees. They’re like, nature’s superheroes. Did you know they can fly in the rain? Like, they just tuck their little wings in and go for it!”

Aurora's slurred voice dragged the words out as she almost stumbled over a crack in the sidewalk if not for her best friend's reliable arm and company around her in nights where wobbly steps and carefree energy came somewhat worse with a bit too much wine.

They both were aware of that- of how the brunette struggled with her alcohol, maybe as much as bees struggled with change in the climate. But Lia didn't had it in her to say no to her when she clearly looked like she needed some sort of distraction after her conversation with Mr Suit and tie, who is supposedly the new land owner now, as Aurora had told her. It was all Aurora had told her. The rest had been her endless rambling about one of her bug tangents.

“And I bet they have tiny capes, too.” Aurora laughed, the sound light and easy.

Lia shook her head, but the fond smile on her face was undeniable, as she fumbled for the keys in Aurora’s bag as they were now in front of her apartment.

"Let's get you inside before you grow a cape too and fly away." Lia finally managed to unlock the door and guided Aurora inside, kicking it shut behind them.

Aurora flopped onto the couch, her head spinning slightly as she looked up at Lia. “You think bugs ever get drunk? Like, if they ate fermented fruit or something?"

Lia bit back a laugh as she sat down next to her. "No idea. That seems like something you'd do research on."

Aurora grinned, her eyelids growing heavy as the warmth of the apartment and the exhaustion from the day started to catch up to her. "Maybe I will."

"Only after you get a good night sleep." Lia instructed to which no sound of protest came in response.

Aurora let her lead her to her bedroom, sloppily kicking her shoes off somewhere in the way, her steps unsteady, but her mind lighter as she followed behind.

As soon as her bed was in view, she found herself getting attracted towards it with a magnetic force that she only felt for the combination of her comforter, pillows, and the lady bug plushie tucked nicely in between

Lia sighed as her best friend fell face first on the mattress before adjusting her inside the sheets. "I'll be right back in a minute, okay?" She said, gesturing towards the bathroom door but before she could move away, Aurora was grabbing onto her hand, her face pushing against the pillow with her hair messing up on her face, making the words come out muffled. "You're my superhero, Lia." She dragged out with a lazy smile, but the one on the blonde's face was a soft one. "And you're mine."

୨ৎ

Aurora woke up with her head throbbing —a not-so-gentle reminder of the previous night, but she couldn't deny that the greater the pain in her head equaled to better the sleep. She groaned, burying her face deeper into the pillow, trying to ignore the insistent buzz of her phone on the nightstand.

After a few more seconds of futile resistance, she reached over and grabbed the phone, squinting at the screen. A few unread messages from Lia popped up the first thing, and then only she registered her friend's absence. To her relief, the messages were to inform that she had to leave early in the morning because the manager who had been getting her gigs that would one day lead up to something big, called.

Aurora sighed, setting the phone down and reluctantly dragging herself out of bed to the bathroom, and gods, the sight in the mirror, almost had her gasping in horror. Splashing cold water on her face in an attempt to wake herself up and wash down the remnants of alcohol that had messed up her face, she then started to brush her teeth.

The water streaming down the sink would sometimes fill the silence but not enough to block the thoughts that threatened to surface back in, thoughts she had tried drinking away, thoughts of a certain man who had shaken her world ever since he had stepped in her vicinity.

Would it be so bad if she runs away and never goes back to the place he had so arrogantly staked a claim on? She thought to herself as she stepped in the shower.

Yes. Her conscience answered. It shouldn't matter. The only thing that should is that was still her bakery, her dream, her place that she had grown out of nothing. No man was going to take that away from her, whether it was that creep Choi or the devil himself.

Determined, after a quick shower, Aurora dressed in her usual work clothes—a soft pastel sweater and jeans—and served herself a bowl of cereals while scrolling mindlessly through her phone

It was not long before her phone tinged, making her straighten up and heave out a deep sigh at the message that popped up.

Reminder:

4 months until Maple Street's animal shelter closes.

She had promised Eunji, the woman who ran the shelter, Aurora often found herself visiting often that she'd help her stabilize the cause that was currently holding onto its place with a thin thread, by saving up the required amount of money or somewhere near. Eunji was a kind, genuine girl who selflessly provided for the stray or abandoned animals- and she wasn't just another face in the city; she was one of the few people who reminded her why this place felt like home.

But the chaos that her life had been for the past days, it had completely slipped past her. She was nowhere near the goal she had set because of the whole landlord situation, and that saddened her.

Maybe she had been naive to make such a promise in the first place but it was the strings of attachment with the place that pulled on her the moment the idea of all those animals with no place to live settled in. She might not be able to save the world, but she could at least try to save this little piece of it.

And she had 4 months to do that. Guess she better get to work.

Grabbing her keys, she headed out the door. The walk to the bakery was a short one, but she couldn't help but feel like it felt a little prolonged today.

When she finally reached the storefront, she paused when she saw a familiar tall figure dressed in a hoodie and jeans, trying to peak up inside. "Jiho!" She called out as she catched up to him, catching the boy off guard as he flinched back at the sudden appearance.

"A-Aurora! Hey!" Jiho fumbled, quickly straightening up, his cheeks tinged pink. "I was just... uh... checking if the bakery was closed." His voice cracked on the last word as if he was caught doing something unacceptable. "Relax, Jiho. You were not committing a crime, I got it." Unlike someone. She chuckled, to which he scratched the back of his head in a sly manner.

Jiho was a computer science major in his last year of college with a thing for strawberry cupcakes, specifically hers. He’d been a regular since practically forever, and though a little shy, he always brought a good vibe with him.

"And no, we're not closed, I just overslept a bit which isn't a everyday occurrence since I’m usually up before the sun, but I guess I was so tired and drunk that I passed out like a rock!" She paired her words with a guilty smile before unlocking the door and stepping inside.

The ebony haired boy blinked, his cheeks still flushed, but now with the faintest trace of a smile. "Right... yeah," He hesitated for a moment before following her inside. The familiar scent of freshly baked goods greeting them both. Jiho let out a soft sigh of relief, "I was worried I’d have to go a day without my cupcake fix," he joked, his tone lighter now that the initial awkwardness had faded.

Aurora laughed softly, moving behind the counter to start setting up for the day. "You’d survive, but I’m glad I saved you from that terrible fate." She joked back while knotting the apron around her but not failing to notice how his eyes frantically started to look around, everywhere but her.

The action made Lia's words surface back in her mind- "How can you not notice? That boy's got a big fat crush on you." She brushed them away as she had done that day before starting on to ready the cupcakes he was here for. She believed Jiho's awkward mannerism was because of his own personality, not because he liked or something.

"So how's college going?" She asked as she started to move to the kitchen.

She could hear him shuffle on his feet before his voice replaced the sound. "Good- mostly good. It's my last year, so I'm trying to make the most of it."

Aurora hummed in acknowledgment as she poured the batter into cupcake liners. "As you should. You're not getting these years back ever again, after all, even though I feel like most of them are a blur of energy drinks and all-nighters."

Jiho smiled and nodded, "Exactly." The oven timer dinged, and Aurora carefully pulled out the tray of perfectly golden cupcakes. She quickly frosted the cupcakes, adding a single fresh strawberry on top of each one before placing them in a small box.

"Here you go—freshly baked and ready to save your day."," she said, handing the box to him. Jiho took the box with a grateful smile. "You’re the best, Aurora, and so are these. Seriously."

“Anytime. You're the one keeping me in business, after all." She smiled back, and Jiho managed a chuckle before stepping back with an uncertainty. "I-I should get going. See you later, Aurora."

"See you, Jiho. Have a nice day!" She waved back as he left the bakery. The quiet returned, and she realized how crucial it was that she surrounded herself with people that brought out the lightness in her and managed to block out thoughts she was afraid would send her into spiral again.

As she moved to the back of the counter, her fingers brushed over the familiar surfaces—the worn wood of the cutting board, the flour-dusted counter—small anchors that kept her grounded. The light filtering in through the windows shifted, casting a warm glow across the room, as though the world outside was urging her to let the day begin.

Maybe that's the trick, she thought. Just focus on what’s right in front of you, and everything else will fall into place.

To be continued..

→ Previous chapter.

SUGAR AND SIN | JK

🧁✧ ˚. TITLE: Sugar and Sin

🧁✧ ˚. PAIRING: Mafia boss! Jungkook x female oc

🧁✧ ˚. WARNINGS: Mentions of threatening behavior and emotional distress.

🧁✧ ˚. BLURB: The suited stranger keeps his promises, and Aurora isn't sure if that is supposed to be a good thing.

🧁✧ ˚. GENRE: Mafia au, grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, slow burn, dark romance, crime/thriller.

🧁✧ ˚. TAGS: jk being a jerk part 21726 but he calls her sweetheart (derogatory), oc going through it part 56372

🧁✧ ˚. A/N: hey!! Hello! Hope you didn't forget me or this story cause I just posted part 10 on wattpad after years of being unproductive!! Who cheered 🤭🤭

🧁✧ ˚. TAG LIST: @scuzmunkie

CHAPTER 6: AURORA

Aurora wasn’t a prophet, but for the past few days, she had this unsettling hunch that the organ pumping in her chest would be the thing to take her down—maybe not by a heart attack, but something close enough.

Grim fact: Her family had no history of heart issues.

Normally, she didn't let anything or anyone burrow deep enough into her thoughts to keep her awake at 2 a.m., contemplating her life choices. Especially not with a knife stashed under her pillow, just in case those choices went south. Well, except maybe that one time when she decided to move away from home and open her own bakery. Her friends loved to call her reckless—more than she'd like to admit. It was probably the same reason her dad hovered over her, always a little too protective.

She'd be lying if she said her reckless streak hadn't played a starring role in the chaos of her life.

Now, even as the day in the bakery stretched onto a busy one- the kind she thrived on- she couldn't help thinking about the sudden absence of a certain man who carried bad mojo with him like a handbag and the letter she received days ago and safe to say, there wasn't much doubt about the sender. She should be glad, of course, that he isn't here to remind her how grateful she should be that there's not a bullet in her brain, but she was rather anxious after the envelope she received which was honestly a childish trick to pull on her neurons in her opinion.

And then there was her demand that was a further invitation for him to dwell more in her life, and she hadn't been able to think of that in the moment. So that only left her waiting and.. questioning.

Would he really help her out with the Mr Choi situation? Or was she the most naive person to think he was being genuine in his amusement and not sarcastic?

She sighed heavily like a old aged woman who had been through both wars before trying to ground herself back in the normalcy of the action of rearranging the trays of pastries that didn't sell and was gonna go up for donation in the display case, while lia checked the stock back in the kitchen.

It was a simple monotonous moment until it was not. The bell above the door chimed, causing Aurora to wonder since not many people visited in the closing hours. Yet the words came out almost automatically. "Welcome to Sunrise sweets!" Her figure still crouched down as she worked on the display.

The usual sounds of greetings and orders didn’t follow. Instead, there was a heavy, palpable silence with an energy that felt weirdly familiar. The kind that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

As she slowly straightened up to attend the odd customer, the sight in front of her had her wanting to hide back again because there stood her newest nightmare manifested in a tailored pinstripe suit that accumulated his broad and tall figure in a way that left her wondering how dild he even got through the door.

The words in that letter flashed the next thing in her mind. She should have known for him not to be the one who spewed empty threats...or promises.

For a moment, she forgot the basics to breathe as his gaze collided with hers.

He had been here before, yet that time had been a chilling dark night but now as the different colors of orange blending with blue from the sun going down the horizon illuminated the space and him, she realized how out of place he looked. She had that realization when he was sprawled across her couch, too. Just now, she had another one that it didn't matter what kind of room he was standing in. His presence will get anyone and everyone present in it to cower.

As if sensing the tension filling the air, lia peeked from the back, catching his attention for a millisecond, but that was enough to take her aback as well.

Aurora could feel her friend's confused eyes on her once she gauged how shrunken the brunette looked.

"Can we help you with something?" She asked as she appeared beside her friend, her voice steady and cautious. Clearly, she was surprised as well to see a figure like him walk up here but not horrified as her best friend who had seen him with a gun.

"No." He gave her a balant reply with a balant stare before turning his attention back to Aurora.

"We have business to discuss, Ms Beckett." She wasn't surprised to hear him say her name she never told yet the way he said he had buisness with her like he was mocking her was enough to send a chill down her spine. "Alone." He added, sparing lia another glance.

"Buisness? What is he talking about, Aurora?" Lia spoke, turning to her with confusion evident in her tone. Of course, she would be confused, surprised even. It was not every day a man in an Armani suit and tie that cost more than the space they were standing in, walked in to talk buisness.

Aurora's eyes peeked back at her friend with an uncertainty of their own. "I-uh.." Her gaze moved back and forth between her best friend and the man that seemed to look at her with an intention to bore a hole in her head.

Taking a deep breath and collecting her thoughts, she turned her back and made lia do the same, her voice intended for only her. "This.. is what I meant when I said I was exploring some options." Lia gave her a look of disbelief. "But - But you don't need to worry. He's a trusted ally even though he doesn't look like it. Everything's gonna be fine. You just need to let me have a talk with him." She hoped the blanched expression only crossed her face mentally when she said the words trusted ally and him in the same sentence.

"I'm not leaving you alone to speak to him, Aurora." She deadpanned, her voice intentionally loud enough for him to hear across the counter.

A deep exhale came from his side. Lia opened her mouth to protest further, but Aurora quickly placed a hand on her arm, squeezing it gently.

"It's fine, Lia. Really." She forced a reassuring smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Just give us a minute, okay?"

Lia looked unconvinced, her gaze flicking between Aurora and the man she was skeptical about, but after a tense moment, she sighed and nodded. "I'll be in the back," she said, her tone making it clear she wasn't going far.

As Lia disappeared behind the kitchen door, Aurora turned back to him, her nerves getting on edge again as she locked eyes with his.

"What buisness?" The sound was somewhat of whisper yell as if she was afraid of the walls listening but was still trying to make her point across at the same time.

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he let his gaze drift around the bakery, taking in every detail with that calculating look that unnerved her so much. “This place—” he gestured vaguely at the bakery, “—is mine now.”

She blinked, the words not quite registering at first. “Yours?” she echoed, incredulous. “What do you mean, yours?”

"I brought it." He said - matter of fact - as if it was the most normal thing.

But to her, the words felt foreign, like they belonged in someone else’s nightmare, not hers. "You… bought it?”

"Choi is no longer your problem. Consider this… payment for your silence.” He spoke, his voice turning bitter at the latter.

Her mind raced, struggling to keep up with the situation. She should have felt relief—after all, wasn’t a resolution to her problem what she had asked for? Instead, a dread seeped into her bones.

It hit her then, like a slap she should have seen coming but didn’t. This wasn’t help. This was control. This was him sinking his claws into her world, and worse — it was her fault for letting him.

The words slipped out before she could stop it. “I didn’t ask for this.”

His expression was a puzzled one. "You asked for my help. This.." He stepped closer to the counter and reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a folded document. He placed it on the surface. "Is how I help."

Help? This was ridiculous. It wasn't a solution. Of course, Mr Choi was a nuisance, but this man was something worse than that. She didn't want something dear to her tied down to him.

But the weight of his words pressed down on her, the realization of what this meant sinking in.

"There must be a catch! Is all this really just for me to keep my mouth shut?" Her brows knitted together as she spoke.

His expression remained unreadable as he spoke, “Nothing more than what we agreed upon. And just your cooperation that I should add."

The nonchalance in his words didn't fool her. "Cooperation?"

His eyes flickered with something unreadable—dangerous, perhaps. "Keep your end of the bargain so I'll not be provoked to keep the end of my promise." She guessed what he was hinting at, and it took her everything not to choke him with a loaf down his throat.

The threat lingered in the air, a dark cloud settling over her. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. She had asked for help even if foolishly so, not for him to take over her life.

Aurora bit her lip,“You think you can just come in here, throw your money around, and claim whatever you want?”

He didn't respond, Instead fumbled a cigarette and a lighter from his pocket to lit it before he was holding it between his gloved fingers and parted lips.

She frowned deeper at the audacity of this man. "And you can't smoke here either!"

He straightened up to look at her with a detached look. Taking a whiff out of the cancer stick, he spoke."I own this place, sweetheart. I can do whatever the fuck I want. You can either accept it or fight it and see consequences you and this place won't like."

She glared at him, hating the truth in his words. Hating that she had somehow ended up in this mess. Yet all fight seemed to drain out of her. What choice did she have? She could actually act upon her urges to shove a loaf down his constantly threat spewing mouth but that wouldn’t change the fact that he did owned her bakery. And, by extension, a piece of her life.

"This-" She was cut off with brutal ignorance as he added. "You should be grateful, Ms Beckett." his eyes briefly scanning the bakery one last time before he turned to leave. "You're in better hands now."

The bell above the door chimed as he walked out, leaving her standing there with her world tilted off its axis and a stack of papers that confirmed just how deep she was in over in her head.

୨ৎ

"What was he on about?" Lia asked as she emerged from the kitchen that was in the back.

Aurora's response was a sigh before she spoke. "Do you wanna go for a drink?"

To be continued..

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